Advice to Founders on Succession
Kim Barnes reflects on knowing when to step aside, preparing successors who can take the company further, and giving new leaders room to run.
Core takeaway
Succession requires two deliberate acts: identifying leaders who can surpass your own capabilities, and having the discipline to step aside so they can lead.
Pull quotes
“Make sure that up until that time you have found one or more people that can take your organization further than you could, and at the right time, step aside.”
“Keep in touch, but not too much. Let the new leaders move forward with it.”
“I want them to be very successful, and at the same time I want to stay out of the way.”
Recorded during a conversation with Geetanjali Gera of AI Ascend Partners on The Ascend Podcast. Shared on LinkedIn.
Transcript
Interviewer (Geetanjali Gera)
Any word of advice that you would like to give?
B. Kim Barnes
Well, it depends on who I'm giving it to: the founders, someone who's just starting out, or somewhere in the middle of everything.
I think the most important thing is, when you get to a certain point in your career, recognize when it's time for you to take another direction. Make sure that up until that time you have found one or more people that can take your organization further than you could, and at the right time, step aside. Let go. Take a vacation. Get yourself involved with other things. Keep in touch, but not too much. Let the new leaders move forward with it.
So, you know, I'm still very interested in my organization. I still keep in good touch. I want them to be very successful, and at the same time I want to stay out of the way. So I think that's what I would recommend: that approach.
View verbatim transcript (as spoken)↓
> Any word of advice that you would like to give?
> Well, it depends on who I'm giving it to. You know, the founders. And someone who's already starting over, or somewhere in the middle of everything. I, I think the most important thing is, when you get to a certain point in, in your career, recognize when it's time for you to take another direction. Make sure that up until that time that you have found one or more people that can take your organization further than you could, and at the right time, step aside, let go. Take a vacation. Get yourself involved with other things. Keep in touch, but not too much. Well, the new leaders move forward with it. So, you know, I'm still very interested in my organization. I still keep in good touch. I want them to be very successful, and at the same time I want to stay out of the way. So I think I would, I would recommend that, that approach.
The founder's transition challenge
Founders spend years building an enterprise from an idea. The habits that make an early-stage organization survive (close oversight, hands-on intervention, constant decision-making) can become obstacles when the business matures.
Succession requires two distinct steps:
- Build successor capability early: Do not wait for an exit date to identify who will run the business. Bring leaders into major decisions long before handoff so they understand the trade-offs, not just the procedures.
- Step aside completely: Stepping aside means letting new leadership make decisions without fear of second-guessing. Staying engaged as an advisor works only if boundaries are clear to both the founder and the team.
Navigating an executive transition?
Kim works with founders and executive teams on leadership succession, governance, and influence.